Former UCF soccer standout Hadji Barry was drafted by the Orlando City Lions with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft on Thursday, Jan. 14. The Lions traded back into the first round to take the local star-forward after already taking midfielder Richie Laryea with the seventh overall pick. Orlando City gave up targeted allegation money and its second-round pick draft pick to the D.C. United club for Barry.

Barry scored a team-high 11 goals for the Knights this past season as he was selected to the first-team all-American Athletic Conference. The Guinea native had the fastest 30-meter dash time at the combine and will look to add to the already attacking nature of the Lions forwards led by the 2015 AT&T Rookie of the Year Cyle Larin. Larin was tied for fifth in the MLS in goals scored with 17 while Orlando City ranked in the top-10 in the MLS in goals scored totaling 46 on the year.

Barry became the first player from UCF to sign with Orlando City’s MLS side.

The Orlando City Lions will begin their 2016 season on March sixth in Sandy, Utah as they go up against Real Salt Lake.

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Jimmy Calhoun is a Senior Staff Writer for the Central Florida Future.